Prabowo Tells HIPMI to Ignore 'Cynical' Voices

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) not to listen to ‘cynical’ parties and to stay focused on working for Indonesia’s progress. This message was emphasised by the President when opening the XVIII HIPMI National Conference (Munas) in Bandar Lampung on Wednesday. In an online broadcast followed from Jakarta, President Prabowo stated that Indonesia needs militant entrepreneurs who never give up. ‘We must be united, work together in mutual cooperation. If there are those who incite or divide, rest assured they are working for others, not for Indonesians. Those are the cynical ones,’ said the President. Prabowo invoked the proverb ‘the dogs bark, but the caravan moves on,’ asserting that Indonesia will remain on the right path without needing to heed cynical comments. ‘We are heading towards victory and greatness, my brothers and sisters. In the past, when our fighters declared independence, many were cynical too,’ he said. He specifically called on young entrepreneurs to understand that economic progress occurs because of a strong spirit of nationalism. President Prabowo also quoted the thinking of sociologist and historian Liah Greenfeld from the book “The Spirit of Capitalism: Nationalism and Economic Growth.” According to the President, even the thinkers referenced in the development of modern capitalism acknowledge that nationalism is the main factor driving economic growth. ‘The final sentence I took was, “The sustained growth characteristic of modern economy” does not advance or develop by itself. Development and growth are stimulated and sustained by nationalism,’ the President concluded.